U.S. patent number 10,246,818 [Application Number 15/294,036] was granted by the patent office on 2019-04-02 for coated non-woven fabrics from inorganic fibers and functional, decorative layers for floor coverings, ceiling coverings and wall coverings manufactured therefrom.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Johns Manville. The grantee listed for this patent is JOHNS MANVILLE. Invention is credited to Klaus Friedrich Gleich, Michael Ketzer.
United States Patent |
10,246,818 |
Ketzer , et al. |
April 2, 2019 |
Coated non-woven fabrics from inorganic fibers and functional,
decorative layers for floor coverings, ceiling coverings and wall
coverings manufactured therefrom
Abstract
The present invention relates to a non-woven fabric made of
inorganic fibers, which has a coating of at least two layers on one
of both surfaces, wherein (i) the non-woven fabric made of
inorganic fibers has a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, (ii) the first
layer of the coating comprises particles, whose particle size is
between 50 and 100 .mu.m, (iii) the second layer of the coating,
which is applied onto the first layer, comprises particles, wherein
more than 90% of the particles have a particle size of less than 20
.mu.m. The non-woven fabric made of inorganic fibers according to
the invention, in particular glass non-woven fabrics, are in
particular suitable for producing decorative coatings for floor
coverings, ceiling coverings and wall coverings.
Inventors: |
Ketzer; Michael (Bobingen,
DE), Gleich; Klaus Friedrich (Nuremberg,
DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JOHNS MANVILLE |
Denver |
CO |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Johns Manville (Denver,
CO)
|
Family
ID: |
48576702 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/294,036 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2016 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170030014 A1 |
Feb 2, 2017 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
13907130 |
May 31, 2013 |
9499982 |
|
|
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 6, 2012 [DE] |
|
|
10 2012 011 234 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06N
3/0063 (20130101); B05D 1/40 (20130101); D06N
3/042 (20130101); D06N 3/0088 (20130101); E04F
13/002 (20130101); D06N 3/183 (20130101); D06N
3/0022 (20130101); B05D 7/584 (20130101); E04C
2/246 (20130101); D06N 3/0011 (20130101); B05D
1/305 (20130101); B05D 2203/35 (20130101); Y10T
428/24967 (20150115); Y10T 428/24372 (20150115); D06N
2201/082 (20130101); D06N 2209/106 (20130101); Y10T
428/2481 (20150115); D06N 2209/1657 (20130101); D06N
2211/063 (20130101); D06N 2205/02 (20130101); Y10T
442/209 (20150401); D06N 2203/041 (20130101); D06N
2211/066 (20130101); D06N 2209/125 (20130101); D06N
2211/06 (20130101); Y10T 442/2008 (20150401); D06N
2209/067 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05D
1/30 (20060101); D06N 3/04 (20060101); E04F
13/00 (20060101); D06N 3/00 (20060101); D06N
3/18 (20060101); E04C 2/24 (20060101); B05D
1/40 (20060101); B05D 7/00 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 607 215 |
|
Dec 2005 |
|
EP |
|
2 269 814 |
|
Jan 2011 |
|
EP |
|
00 05311 |
|
Feb 2000 |
|
WO |
|
01/05588 |
|
Jan 2001 |
|
WO |
|
WO-0105588 |
|
Jan 2001 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Rodriguez; Michael P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Touslee; Robert D.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a division of U.S. Pat. No. 9,499,982
issued Nov. 22, 2016, which claims foreign priority to DE 10 2012
011 234.3 filed Jun. 6, 2012. The entire contents of these patent
and patent application are herein incorporated by reference for all
purposes.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method for the production of a coated non-woven fabric, the
method comprising: supplying a non-woven fabric made of inorganic
fibers, the non-woven fabric having a thickness of at least 0.2 mm;
producing a first coating through application of a first suspension
comprising a plurality of first particles, the plurality of first
particles having a median particle size between 50 and 100 .mu.m;
and producing a second coating onto the first coating through
application of a second suspension comprising a plurality of second
particles, the plurality of second particles having a particle size
D90 smaller than 20 .mu.m; wherein: the first coating is produced
by means of forceless application methods, the first suspension
comprises a plurality of third particles, the third particles have
an aspect ratio of more than 100:1, and the third particles are
platelet-shaped.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising producing a
third coating onto the second coating through application of a
third suspension comprising a plurality of fourth particles, the
plurality of fourth particles having a particle size D90 between 2
and 10 .mu.m.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the non-woven fabric
comprises inorganic fibers, and the non-woven fabric has an air
permeability less than 3000 l/m.sup.2 s prior to coating.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the non-woven fabric
comprises inorganic fibers, and the non-woven fabric has an air
permeability less than 1000 l/m.sup.2 s prior to coating.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-woven fabric
comprises glass fibers.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second coating is
produced by means of forceless application methods.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: drying the
first coating and the second coating, wherein: during the producing
of the first coating and during the producing of the second coating
until drying the first coating and the second coating, no increased
pressure with respect to the ambient pressure acts on the side of
the non-woven fabric to be coated.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the first particles
comprise calcined clay, and the third particles comprise calcined
clay.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein after producing the
first coating and producing the second coating, the non-woven
fabric has a roughness less than 45 .mu.m.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first coating has
a thickness of between 150 and 500 .mu.m.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second coating has
a thickness from 10% to 20% of the total thickness of coatings on
the non-woven fabric.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second particles
comprise calcium carbonates, calcined clay, titanium dioxide,
chalk, color pigments, diatomaceous earth, or mixtures of the
same.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first coating and
the second coating comprise chemical binders.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-woven fabric
comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of
aluminosilicate fibers, ceramic fibers, dolomite fibers,
wollastonite fibers, fibers of vulcanites, and basalt fibers.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first
particles have an irregular form.
16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of
second particles have a particle size D90 that is not greater than
25% of the thickness of the second coating.
17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coated non-woven
fabric has a weight per unit area of between 100 and 500 g/m.sup.2
after producing the second coating, and wherein sum of the first
coating and the second coating is at least 25 g/m.sup.2 and at most
300 g/m.sup.2.
18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic fibers
have an average diameter of between 5 and 30 .mu.m.
19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising producing a
third coating onto the second coating through application of a
third suspension comprising a plurality of fourth particles, the
plurality of fourth particles having a median particle size between
2 and 10 .mu.m.
Description
The invention relates to non-woven fabrics from inorganic fibers
and functional, in particular glass non-woven fabrics, with a
special coating and decorative coatings for floor coverings,
ceiling coverings and wall coverings manufactured therefrom.
Decorative coatings within buildings, in particular for public
and/or industrial buildings, must be more and more secure with
respect to the danger that one can be exposed to through fire. The
increased fire protection requirements are known in the technical
field due to constantly tightened legal regulations. These
increased requirements also more and more include individual
components of interior finishings, such as floor coverings, wall
coverings and/or ceiling coatings. Such decorative elements, taken
alone, are partially to be classified as not safe with respect to
the fire protection requirements, or can be realized only with very
high expenditure. These fire protection requirements, however, can
be fulfilled through use of glass non-woven fabrics, which have
decorative layers. It is possible, in particular with glass
non-woven fabrics, which are printable and intrinsically have an
appropriate fire resistance, to produce wall coverings, floor
coverings or ceiling coverings in a very simple and secure
manner.
Decorative coatings in the form of planar rolled goods or sheet
goods used as non-woven fabrics based on thermoplastic fibers or
cellulose fibers with a decorative printing and, if applicable,
with additional plastics finishing are generally known. Also,
non-woven fabrics with mineral filler materials for gypsum board
reinforcements or so-called non-woven wallpapers with mineral
coatings, which require additional painting after installation on
the wall, are known.
The present invention relates to a non-woven fabric made of
inorganic fibers, which has a coating of at least two layers on one
of both surfaces, wherein (i) the non-woven fabric made of
inorganic fibers has a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, (ii) the first
layer of the coating comprises particles, whose particle size is
between 50 and 100 .mu.m, (iii) the second layer of the coating,
which is applied onto the first layer, comprises particles, wherein
more than 90% of the particles have a particle size of less than 20
.mu.m.
The coated non-woven fabrics according to the invention made of
inorganic fibers may also have further functional layers, for
example antibacterial, antistatic and/or conductive layers.
The coated non-woven fabrics according to the invention made of
inorganic fibers, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, have a
weight per unit area of between 50 and 500 g/m.sup.2, preferably
100 and 500 g/m.sup.2, wherein these values refer to the final
product, wherein the coating is at least 25 g/m.sup.2 and at most
300 g/m.sup.2.
The coated non-woven fabrics according to the invention made of
inorganic fibers, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, have a
very smooth surface quality, which, expressed as roughness, is
preferably less than 50 .mu.m, particularly preferably less than 45
.mu.m. The roughness is determined with methods known to the person
skilled in the art, for example by means of optical and microscopic
methods.
Such good surfaces can be printed-on directly without any problems
with known printing techniques, such as digital printing, roller
printing or screen printing. "Directly" in the sense of the
invention means that the surface no longer has to be smoothed with
abrasive methods or available unevennesses no longer have to be
eliminated through application of appropriate filler materials.
Non-Woven Fabric Made of Inorganic Fibers
Due to the minimum thickness of the non-woven fabric made of
inorganic fibers, in particular of the glass non-woven fabric, the
coated non-woven fabrics according to the invention can, if
applicable, very well compensate for available unevennesses on the
surface.
The thickness of the non-woven fabric made of inorganic fibers, in
particular of the glass non-woven fabric, is at least 0.2 mm and is
determined according to DIN EN ISO 9073 T2.
In addition to non-woven fabrics based on glass fibers, non-woven
fabrics made of inorganic mineral fibers and ceramic fibers may
also be used. These are aluminosilicate fibers, ceramic fibers,
dolomite fibers, wollastonite fibers or fibers of vulcanites,
preferably basalt fibers, diabase fibers and/or melaphyre fibers,
especially basalt fibers. Diabases and melaphyres are designated
collectively as paleobasalts and diabase is also often designated
as greenstone.
The non-woven fabrics based on mineral fibers may be formed from
filaments, that is to say fibers of infinite length or from staple
fibers. The average length of the staple fibers in the non-woven
fabric of mineral fibers used according to the invention is between
5 and 120 mm, preferably 10 to 90 mm. In a further embodiment of
the invention, the non-woven fabric made of mineral fibers contains
a mixture of endless fibers and staple fibers.
The average fiber diameter of the mineral fibers is between 5 and
30 .mu.m, preferably between 8 and 24 .mu.m, especially preferably
between 8 and 15 .mu.m.
The weight per unit area of the non-woven fabric made of mineral
fibers is between 25 and 350 g/m.sup.2, preferably 40 and 150
g/m.sup.2, wherein these data refer to a fabric with a binder.
The non-woven fabrics based on glass fibers may be formed from
filaments, that is to say fibers of infinite length or from staple
fibers. The average length of the staple fibers is between 5 and
120 mm, preferably 10 to 90 mm. In a further embodiment of the
invention, the non-woven fabric made of glass fibers contains a
mixture of endless fibers and staple fibers.
The average diameter of the glass fibers is between 5 and 30 .mu.m,
preferably between 8 and 24 .mu.m, especially preferably between 10
and 21 .mu.m.
In addition to the previously cited diameters, so-called glass
microfibers can also be used. The preferred average diameter of the
glass microfibers is between 0.1 and 5 .mu.m. The microfibers
forming the textile surface can also be present in mixtures with
other fibers, preferably glass fibers. Moreover, a layer-shaped
structure of microfibers and glass fibers is also possible.
The weight per unit area of the non-woven fabric made of glass
fibers is between 25 and 350 g/m.sup.2, preferably 40 and 150
g/m.sup.2, wherein these data refer to a fabric with a binder.
Suitable glass fibers comprise in particular those manufactured
from A-glass, E-glass, S-glass, C-glass, T-glass or R-glass.
The non-woven fabrics can be manufactured in accordance with any
known method. For glass non-woven fabrics, this is preferably the
dry or wet laid method.
The binder content of the non-woven fabric made of inorganic
fibers, in particular of the glass non-woven fabric, is 5-30%,
preferably 10-20%, wherein this value refers to the total weight of
the non-woven fabric with binder.
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers used according to
the invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, can
additionally contain reinforcements. Reinforcements serve to
enhance the mechanical properties of the non-woven fabrics, in
particular the longitudinal and transverse strengths. Possible
reinforcements include longitudinal threads or grating structures.
Suitable reinforcement materials are glass threads or structures of
high-modulus materials, which are applied onto or inserted into the
textile fabric during the production of the textile surface.
The non-woven fabrics used according to the invention must have an
air permeability as low as possible so that the coating can be
applied by means of forceless application methods. Thus, the
non-woven fabrics used according to the invention have an air
permeability in the range of less than 3000 l/m.sup.2 s, preferably
less than 1000 l/m.sup.2 s. The air permeability is determined in
accordance with DIN EN 9237.
The permeability of the textile surface may also, in addition to
the adaptation of the air permeability--alternatively or
additionally--be optimized by means of hydrophobization of the
fiber surface. This is, for example, possible through addition of a
hydrophobing agent to the binder. A suitable hydrophobing agent is,
for example, "Nuva 2155" as available from the company
Clariant.
Binder
The non-woven fabric made of inorganic fibers according to the
invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, preferably
contain urea binders, melamine binders or acrylate binders. In a
further preferred design, the non-woven fabric contains binders
based on polyvinyl alcohol. In addition, formaldehyde-free binders
are particularly preferred.
Coating
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers according to the
invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, have a
coating of at least two layers on one of both surfaces. The
coating, which is applied onto the surface of the non-woven fabric,
contains different particle sizes and is specially suitable for
decorative printing techniques. The coating is selected so that it
does not penetrate the non-woven fabric and thereby allows a low
weight per unit area of the coating.
The first layer of the coating comprises particles, whose particle
size is between 50 and 100 .mu.m, that is to say the D50 value or
also the median value is in the above-mentioned range. The
particles may also be platelet-shaped, wherein particles with an
aspect ratio of more than 100:1 are particularly preferred. This
first layer of the coating may also comprise mixtures of both
particle types. In a further preferred variant, the particles have
an irregular form and are made of diatomaceous earth
(kieselguhr).
The aspect ratio designates the ratio of the depth or height of a
structure to its (smallest) lateral expansion.
The first layer of the coating preferably has a thickness of
between 100 and 1000 .mu.m, preferably 150 and 500 .mu.m.
The second layer of the coating, which is applied onto the first
layer, comprises particles, whose particle size is less than 20
.mu.m, i.e. the D90 value is in the above-mentioned range. In a
particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the D90 value
of the particles of the second layer is less than 20 .mu.m.
The second layer of the coating preferably has a thickness, which
is 10%-40%, preferably 10%-20% of the overall thickness of the
coating consisting of the first and second coatings.
Particularly preferably, the D50 value or the D90 value of the
particles in the respective layer is not greater than 50% of the
thickness of the corresponding layer, preferably not greater than
33% of the thickness of the corresponding layer, in particular not
greater than 25% of the thickness of the corresponding layer.
The surfaces obtained by means of the coating according to the
invention distinguish themselves through a very smooth and even
surface. The roughness is preferably less than 50 .mu.m,
particularly preferably less than 45 .mu.m. The roughness is
determined with methods known to the person skilled in the art.
If a particular good surface quality is to be obtained, an
additional, third layer is applied onto the second layer of the
coating. The latter comprises particles, whose particle size is
between 2 and 10 .mu.m, that is to say the D50 value or also the
median value is in the above-mentioned range. In a particularly
preferred embodiment of the invention, the D90 value of the
particles of the third layer is between 2 and 10 .mu.m.
In a particular embodiment, the D90 value of the particles of the
second layer is less than 20 .mu.m and the D90 value of the
particles of the third layer is between 2 and 10 .mu.m.
The particles according to the invention are selected from
materials which fulfill the criteria for A2 or SBI B S1 D0 in the
subsequent fire test.
The individual layers of the coating are applied in the form of
suspensions, for example by means of doctor blade or curtain
coating methods. The applied quantity may be adjusted by means of a
doctor blade or the solid body content of the suspension for the
curtain coating method. Such application methods are called
forceless application methods. Further forceless application
methods in the sense of the present invention are such for which no
increased pressure with reference to the ambient pressure acts on
the side of the non-woven fabric to be coated, for example through
rollers.
The usual known non-woven coatings are realized by means of coating
(forced application work or roller impregnation), i.e. the filler
materials are pressed through acting forces, for instance outer
pressure, into the non-woven fabric. However, fibers thereby still
project from the surface. At least, the fibers telescope clearly
and the surfaces are therefore suitable for printing.
The coatings according to the invention create the required
conditions for the non-woven fabrics to fulfill the graphic
printing requirements with respect to color value and color
location.
The coatings according to the invention, in particular the
particles, penetrate only partially into the non-woven fabric. The
particle size of the first layer of the coating is selected in a
such a way that the non-woven fabric pores are closed. Such a
surface is, however, too rough, similarly to an "orange skin", and
is therefore suitable for direct printing. The second, as well as
possibly available further layer(s) effect(s) a surface, which may
be printed directly.
The dispersions used for producing the individual layers of the
coating contain, in addition to said particles, chemical binders,
e.g. acrylate binders, as well as, if necessary, particle-like
functional materials. The chemical binder are preferably, with
respect to their rheology, e.g. viscosity, adjusted or selected in
such a manner that they do not penetrate or penetrate only a bit
into the non-woven fabric.
The portion of the binders used for preparing the individual layers
of the coating is 10-40% by weight, preferably 20-30% by weight of
the whole coating, wherein these values refer to the dry mass of
the coating.
The particles used according to the invention for coating are
preferably inorganic particles, preferably calcium carbonates,
calcined clay, titanium dioxide, chalk, color pigments,
diatomaceous earth or mixtures of the same.
Particularly preferably, the outer layer of the coating contains at
least 5% by weight, preferably at least 10% by weight of titanium
dioxide.
The possibly available particle-like functional materials usually
have the same particle size as the other particles. The functional
materials are preferably materials for increasing the fire
resistance (flame retardants), materials for conducting away
electrostatic charges, materials for sheathing electromagnetic
beams, organic or inorganic pigments, in particular color
pigments.
The flame retardants are inorganic flame retardants,
organophosphorus flame retardants, nitrogen-based flame retardants
or intumescence flame retardants. Halogenated (brominated and
chlorinated) flame retardants can also be used but are less
preferred on account of their risk evaluation. Examples for such
halogenated flame retardants are polybrominated diphenyl ethers,
e.g., decaBDE, tetrabromobisphenol A and HBCD
(hexabromocyclododecane).
Nitrogen-based flame retardants are melamines and ureas.
The organophosphorus flame retardants are typically aromatic and
alkyl-esters of the phosphoric acid. TCEP (tris(chloroethyl)
phosphate), TCPP (tris(chloropropyl) phosphate), TDCPP
(tris(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate), triphenyl phosphate, trioctyl
phosphate (tris-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate) are preferably used.
The inorganic flame retardants are typically hydroxides, such as
aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, borates, such as zinc
borate, ammonium compounds, such as ammonium sulfate, red
phosphorus, antimony oxides, such as antimony trioxide and antimony
pentoxide or vermiculites.
Antistatic and electromagnetic shielding effects can be achieved by
using agents for increasing the electrical conductivity.
These antistatic agents are customarily particles that are
electrically conductive. Suitable materials are electrically
conductive carbons, such as carbon black, graphite and carbon
nanotubes (C nanotubes) or conductive plastics.
The materials for shielding electromagnetic radiation are usually
electrically conductive materials.
The inorganic or organic pigments are particle-like materials, in
particular pigments, which can also be used in paints.
Use
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers coated according to
the invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, are
preferably smooth, even and lightweight. Such layers can be
decorated and printed with digital printing, as well as directly
with roller printing (very smooth surfaces) or screen printing.
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers coated according to
the invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, can also
be used for floor coverings, e.g. PVC, cushion vinyl or the
like.
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers coated according to
the invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabrics, can be
fitted with a decor and used as wall covering, e.g. wallpaper. Such
decorative layers can conventionally be installed with paste on
conventional walls. If necessary, such decorative layers are also
"pre-glued" in order to allow easier installations on the wall.
The non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers coated according to
the invention, in particular the glass non-woven fabric, may be
applied through calandering, hot pressing or double-band pressing
onto thermoplastic base supports like PU, PVC, PO.
According to the final application, further additional protective
layers may be applied. Alternatively, other carriers like glass
wool boards, cork boards, gypsum board etc. can also be decorated.
For floor coverings, antislip particles, e.g. of corundum, may also
be applied.
In contrast to papers, the non-woven fabrics made of inorganic
fibers coated according to the invention, in particular the glass
non-woven fabrics, have a clearly higher dimensional stability.
Due to the binders present in the coating, the non-woven fabric
made of inorganic fibers coated according to the invention, in
particular the glass non-woven fabrics, have surprisingly good or
excellent draping properties and is not brittle such as
conventional glass non-woven fabrics.
Therefore, the non-woven fabrics made of inorganic fibers coated
according to the invention, in particular the glass non-woven
fabrics, are also suitable for elastic floor applications such as,
cushion vinyl or polyolefins or polyurethane (PU) as well as
decorative ceiling boards consisting of wood boards, EW boards
(engineered wood) or mineral fibers or plastic boards.
* * * * *